Having participated in the ODI World Cup in 1979 and as early as 2003, 2007 and 2011, Canada is set to make its T20 World Cup debut. The mega event, co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies, will see 20 teams participating.
Saad Bin Zafar has been appointed captain of Canada for this marquee event. Aaron Johnson, a top-order batter, and Kaleem Sana, a left-arm pacer, will support the Canadian cricketer, who was born in Pakistan and brings a wealth of experience to the team.
Canada Squad for T20 World Cup
Batters: Aaron Johnson, Ravinderpal Singh, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Shreyas Movva (wk)
All-rounders: Saad Bin Zafar (c), Dilpreet Bajwa, Harsh Thaker, Junaid Siddiqui, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Pargat Singh, Rayyankhan Pathan
Bowlers: Dilon Heyliger, Jeremy Gordon, Kaleem Sana
Reserves: Tajinder Singh, Aaditya Varadharajan, Ammar Khalid, Jatinder Matharu, Parveen Kumar
Strengths of Canada in the T20 World Cup
Experienced Squad
The team benefits from having several players over 30 and multiple all-rounders. This provides them with experience and several options in batting and bowling.
Explosive Top-Order Batters
The top-order batsmen of Canada—Aaron Johnson, Dilpreet Bajwa, and Nicholas Kirton—can score quickly in the powerplay. They are known for providing a solid start to the North American side.
Formidable Spin-Bowling Attack
They have a formidable spin attack with experienced campaigner Saad Bin Zafar, the leading wicket-taker for Canada. Alongside him, Junaid Siddiqui and Pargat Singh could be lethal in US and Caribbean conditions. 
Weaknesses: Where Canada Could Falter
Lack of Consistent Performance
The squad lacks consistency, with the middle order faltering on many occasions. This factor could trouble the North American side if they don’t pay extra attention.
Crumbling Under Pressure
Playing in their first T20 World Cup, Canada, as a less experienced side, might falter at crucial moments, letting victory slip away.
X-Factor of Canada in T20 World Cup 2024
Dillon Heyliger and Kaleem Sana
Dillon Heyliger, a veteran pacer, has a knack for picking wickets at crucial moments and can contribute with handy lower-order batting. Kaleem Sana has consistently contributed with the ball, scalping 27 wickets in 16 matches, and could be an X-factor with the new ball.
Canadian Players to Watch Out for in T20 World Cup 2024
Saad Bin Zafar
The left-arm orthodox spinner is the second most-capped player for Canada and brings a wealth of experience. With 43 wickets in 38 matches, Saad is the leading wicket-taker for Canada in T20Is. He could also contribute with the bat in the lower order.
Nicholas Kirton
The left-handed batter can counter-attack opposition bowlers and adapt to situations quickly. In a warm-up match ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, Kirton played a composed knock of 52 runs against Nepal, a positive sign for Canada.
Harsh Thaker
The 26-year-old is a consistent performer with both bat and ball. Thaker can switch gears to score rapidly and extract crucial wickets with his off-spin bowling.
Prediction Time
Despite being an associate member, Canada has a decent squad. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this North American team cause a significant upset if they perform at their best.
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